Toronto witnessed a dramatic shift in momentum on Friday as reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina powered into the fourth round of the WTA Masters, while French Open winner Mirra Andreeva suffered a stunning exit at the hands of Canada's Leylah Fernandez. The contrasting outcomes have reshaped the draw and set the stage for high-stakes clashes. Main Developments World number two Rybakina, representing Kazakhstan, dispatched American 28th seed Ann Li 6-2, 7-5 in 90 minutes, converting five of six break chances while saving two of four against her. The 2022 Wimbledon champion now faces Russia's Liudmila Samsonova, who battled past Australian Maya Joint 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2. Samsonova leads their career rivalry 4-2, though Rybakina has won their last two meetings, including last year's Strasbourg final. Fernandez, the 30th seed, ended a seven-match losing streak against top-10 opponents by defeating the 19-year-old Andreeva 6-1, 6-4 in 80 minutes. The Canadian left-hander won 24 of 27 points on her first serve and captured 17 of 23 points on Andreeva's second serves. Andreeva committed 34 unforced errors against 17 winners. Read also: Hangu IBO: Captain's sacrifice exposes terror network's tactics Fernandez credited her patience and physicality: "The key for me was to stay positive, stay strong, and to keep being patient. She wasn't going to give away some easy balls." She added, "I've put in the work. I know physically I'm strong. I know I can endure long rallies, long matches. So if it's going to take 100 balls to hit to put it in to break her down, then so be it." Her next opponent is Naomi Osaka, the 11th seed from Japan, who beat Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2 in 71 minutes with seven aces. In other matches, US fourth seed Coco Gauff, a two-time Grand Slam winner, advanced by defeating Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 in 76 minutes. Gauff will face 19-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva, who ousted US 13th seed Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-4. Alexandra Eala, the 21-year-old Philippines left-hander who won her first WTA title Monday at Washington, reached the fourth round by defeating American Caty McNally 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 after two hours and 39 minutes. Background Fernandez's victory marks her first win over a top-five player since downing fourth-rated Jessica Pegula on her way to last year's WTA Washington title. The Canadian, who finished runner-up at the 2021 US Open, has now split two career meetings with Osaka, having won their 2021 US Open encounter while Osaka triumphed at Wuhan last year. Andreeva, ranked fifth, came into Toronto as the reigning French Open champion but struggled with unforced errors throughout the match. Why It Matters These results could significantly alter the tournament's landscape. Rybakina's continued form makes her a strong contender for the title, while Andreeva's early exit opens the draw for other players. Fernandez's resurgence, backed by her physical endurance and improved serving, adds a dangerous wildcard element. For Osaka, facing a left-hander like Fernandez presents a unique challenge, as she noted: "It's tough because she's lefty. Obviously there aren't many lefties on tour, so it takes me awhile to get used to that. She has a really good attitude. I've never seen her down. She always keeps fighting. I really appreciate that about her." What's Next The fourth-round matchups are set: Rybakina will meet Samsonova, Fernandez faces Osaka, Gauff takes on Korneeva, and Eala will face Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic, who outlasted American Taylor Townsend in a marathon 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 that lasted three hours and 24 minutes. All eyes will be on these clashes as the tournament progresses toward the quarterfinals.